'Belief' has been key for proud Wilshere as Luton hit back from MK Dons loss

A proud Luton boss Jack Wilshere pinpointed his side’s ‘belief’ as his takeaway from Town’s much-needed return to form, after making it three wins from three when beating Doncaster Rovers 3-1 at Kenilworth Road last night.

The Hatters were in a tough spot just 11 days ago when they went down to a hugely disappointing 2-1 reverse at MK Dons. Although the performance was, on the whole, an acceptable one, Town dominating large periods of the contest, but unable to create the clear-cut chances they needed to, the criticism from the 6,000 travelling supporters, and those online, was loud following the defeat, intensified by the opposition that Luton had gone down to.

Thankfully, Wilshere’s men were able to get back on track immediately by beating Barnsley 2-1, as they then followed it up with another 2-1 success, over Leicester City at the weekend, and then went one better, putting three past Rovers on Tuesday evening to claim nine points from nine and move up to eighth in the table, just a point of the play-offs.

Asked what it was that had pleased him the most, Wilshere, speaking after the game, said: “Probably the belief from the players, because I was on a 5k run today and I ran to Harpenden. I was with Tim (Corcoran), and I said to him this time last week we were running here with Barnsley in our mind and coming off the back of the MK game, and we were low after the MK game. The players were low, but there were also so many good things we did.

"I’ve said it before, you’ve got a decision as a coach after a game, what you highlight and what you show. You have to highlight the things we need to improve and there were some goals we conceded in that game which we weren’t happy with clearly, but we also had something like 25 shots and created so many opportunities, so many touches in the final third, we were aggressive in duels and we ran more than we’d run all season.

"So to highlight that to the players was really important and for the players to keep believing, because we’ve been in a situation last season where we knew the importance going into every game and we did it our way. That’s really, really important, as a coach, as players, that we have that connection, which we do and I love working with the players.

"But it goes to a point where if the players are feeling a little bit of fear, or there’s been some question marks externally that they then get into a position where the feedback that we’re trying to give them and that’s all it always is, we have high standards, the players have high standards, but whenever we sit in a room and show them things, it’s feedback to try and improve and to try and win the next game.

"If you’re in a position where you can’t take that and there’s a bit of judgment, that’s hard to then develop the team and develop the individual within the team to try and win games. I’m probably the most proud of that, the players' belief. I’ve said it before, I can’t sit there and say ‘boys, play with confidence,' as that’s not the way it works, but the courage they’ve shown has been really good.

"Also, it sets the bar for that because we’re in October. I don’t even think we’re a third of the way through the season and there’s a long, long way to go. We have to keep going this way, keep going with a lot of humility as we know the demands of this level, but with the courage and the belief they’re showing. We’ve done a lot of good things this season, we’re disappointed with certain things, how many goals we’ve conceded, so the players need to keep believing in that, keep working on the things we need to improve and keep having humility.”

One thing that has become apparent is the Hatters’ players appear to playing without fear at the moment, which was another thing that pleased Wilshere, who continued: “I agree, and listen, I think that everyone, human beings have a little bit of fear right, fear of judgment. I woke up this morning, I’m in my wardrobe picking my outfit and I’m thinking, ‘can I wear that? What are people going to think?’ That is human nature to think like that, so players can have that, but courage is having that a little bit, but still doing it anyway, that’s what we need.”

Having had the massive highs of a stoppage time winner over the Foxes on Saturday, it was a case of coming straight back down to earth against Doncaster on Tuesday, which, after a tense first half, in which Callum Marshall broke the deadlock from the penalty spot, Town were finally able to express themselves further in the second period, Jamie Donley with a clinical double before Bayley McCann’s late consolation.

Wilshere had always known it would be tough to get going once more following the weekend’s jubilation, adding: “I thought the players found a way in the first half. They make it difficult for you and I knew that. We went there last year, they've got a manager with a lot of experience, they’ve got players with experience at this level, where it’s a fight, they’re also good at what they do.

"So we had to get hold of that, and find our way in the game which can happen after a big performance on Saturday and the game ends in the way it did. It takes a lot of emotional energy, the players have to go again, and we need players that can do that as that is the demands at this level, but it’s not easy, I know that from my experience as a player, it’s not always easy to go in that third game.

"I’m happy for the players and proud of them for that, because we found a way in the first half. I thought we deserved our lead, and then that was the message at half time, if we go to the next level we can take this game away from them as we always knew that it was their third game in a week, so credit to the players as that took a lot.”